“That’s what we got out of it,” Zarev replies.
“And before the four of you appeared,” Andor continues, “there had to be other ways to lead spirits to the next life. The Sandman couldn’t do it–”
“Who is the Sandman?” Odette interrupts. When Andor shoots her a look, she clears her throat. “Um, I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
He grins. “None of that here, Princess. I am not a royal in the eyes of the Icebound. Not now I’ve joined the dead. That’s the role the living Glacia carries on. And to answer your question, the Sandman is someone who used to guide spirits who passed in their dreams to the beyond. He usually brought them here.”
“All the way across Mystica?” I ask, surprised. I’m trying to follow along with his story, but there are a lot of details that contradict everything I know. We never really had a chance to speak with the Shadow Man, but there was never any indication of who took care of the spirits before the four of us were created.
Neve’s mentioned the Sandman recently. And until this moment, I never knew that a man from Wonderland had the power of death, much less that he existed within the royal bloodline.
It can’t just be a coincidence that I’m learning all these things at the same time.
Andor gestures to Neve. “As the reigning royal, this duty would fall to my daughter to ensure that the land is safe for spirits to pass on. It’s a duty that my wife, Sned, neglected for all her years upon the throne. Too many dead were left to rot, and they festered as the land slowly suffocated beneath the spirits. I’ve waited for many years to speak to my daughter, to prepare her for her duty as monarch.”
He shoots me a look before continuing., “But she was never meant to die. She was forced asleep, a burden I could not bear in the afterlife, but Death is a different matter. You seeit, don’t you, Reapers? Her soul is tethered to her living body, despite the injuries sustained."
“We noticed,” I reply.
“It’s not a good sign,” Andor says carefully, tugging at his pale robes. Everything about him is faded, eerie, trapped in death but unable to leave. “She won’t fully heal until her spirit is back with her.”
“I can feel her life force,” I argue, passing my hand across her bandaged back. “My ice trembles with her gentle movements. There is still life there, not just a spirit.”
Andor shoots me a thoughtful look. “Then she is stronger than she looks. The injuries Sned left on her are great.” His hand ticks up, dragging across his face “I don’t know what their plan was for coming here, but you saw Davina and Lancelot? I heard their names whispered among the dead. None of this should have happened, and Sned should not have gone after Neve in such a way.”
“Don’t play dumb, Andor,” I growl, his frosty eyes lifting to me. “Your wife killed you. And to keep the crown she tried to kill Neve too.”
“She killed me because I wouldn’t allow her to drain our daughter for her curse,” Andor snaps, and my eyebrows rise with surprise. I didn’t know that. “She spent time learning dark magic from Davina to put a curse on Neve with the needle, a fate she first sought to bestow upon you, Reaper. She banished the spinning wheel to another land to hide her transgressions, but to keep the device intact in case she needed another needle. Why she killed Neve and froze the kingdom is for reasons I don’t understand.”
His hands begin to glow, and Zarev and Odette straighten, paying close attention.
The spirit doesn’t appear malicious, so I don’t immediately go on the offensive. My hand is still poised overNeve, so he can’t do something like strike his daughter while I’m here.
“I wondered why my spirit could linger for so long without changing,” Andor says, his voice almost dreamy. “I thought it was to see whether my daughter would succeed or fail. Glacia never said. Perhaps it was so I could ensure that the line doesn’t end with Neve.”
He turns and holds up his hands, and I use my other hand to drag the staff out of the shadows. His eyes don’t give anything away when I glare at him. “What are you doing?”
“Spirits are not meant to linger, Ban. You know this.” He gives his daughter a sad smile. “I have asked Glacia why she kept me around all these years, and now I see why. Those who came before us have a sixth sense that the rest of us have lost. She said I would know when the time was right. I see that now.”
“Seewhat?” I growl. Behind him, Zarev quietly pulls out his scythe, and Odette looks ready to join in if she can.
“She is weak from her injuries,” he says, no longer focusing on me. “But strong when she is whole. With the gift of the Icebound, she can protect this land. It’s the last thing I can give to her.”
Andor suddenly disappears. I look at Zarev and I’m positive his wide-eyed stare mirrors my own.
A dull blue glow starts to wrap around Neve, and his words echo in my head.I would know when the time was right.
Letting my staff disappear again, I reach out and try to block the power resting over her. It feels similar to spiritual energy, like I should be able to reach out, wrap my shadows around it, and stop whatever this is. But my magic doesn’t do anything, and dread settles over me as I watch.
I don’t know if Neve would ever forgive me for her father’s passing a second time. This isn't my fault, but when she finds out he was here and she missed him, it will shatter her.
“Forgive me, Neve.”
Chapter 24 Neve
The fiery burn that’s been keeping me company fades when I hear Ban’s voice. I can’t tell whether my words register as spoken or not, but the ache in my back makes me gasp as my eyes flutter open.
For the first time I can remember, I’m cold.
